Oil Behind Aggressions
Against Venezuela
The coup of 2002,
destabilizing attempts
and aggressions against
Venezuela's sovereignty
"have a strong oil
component," Minister of
Energy Rafael Ramirez
said.
Stating the case of US
firm Exxon Mobil before
the National Assembly,
the official recalled
that big business
interests are behind
these actions.
Ramirez, who is also
president of state-run
oil firm PDVSA (Petroleos
de Venezuela), recalled
that the oil opening
policy of the 90s left a
debit balance nearing
us$17 billion, including
discounts and purchase
abroad.
The government of
President Hugo Chavez
took steps leading to
forge joint ventures,
thus restoring the
state" majority control,
besides fair tax and
royalty paying.
Besides, controversy
settlement was put into
the hands of national
courts as a principle of
oil sovereignty, said
the minister.
Exxon Mobile is trying
to promote preventive
actions against PDVSA's
assets abroad because of
the arbitration it is
facing in the case of
former Cerro Negro
upgrader, which became
Petromonagas. |
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